Unbelievable Ways Your Favorite Celebrities Got Their Start

Aspiring actors flock to Los Angeles every day, hoping to be
discovered. Most never get that lucky break, but others are destined to be
famous, even if they didn’t know it! Some of the most talented and popular
celebrities never went looking for fame, but thankfully for us, it found them.
Find out how Pamela Anderson, Johnny Depp, J-Lo and more got discovered.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman has been on screen since her teens but
famously prioritized her education, graduating from Harvard University. The
spotlight found her nonetheless. She was scouted for a modeling gig with Revlon
when she was just 11, but the career path didn’t interest her. She started
studying acting and began appearing in films soon after.

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry was listed as Forbes’ highest paid man in entertainment, but his past was quite a
different story. Born Emmitt Perry Jr., he grew up an abusive father and
changed his name to Tyler to distance himself from him. Tyler did not complete
high school and even attempted suicide. An episode of Opera changed his life when it taught him the therapeutic effect of
writing, prompting him to begin his first musical.

Mel Gibson

Somewhat known for his temper, Mel Gibson actually got his
start because of a bar fight. He was pretty bruised up on the morning after,
when his friend asked for a ride to an audition. Though Mel had appeared in a
few stage performances before, he didn’t intend to audition for the movie role.
However, his beat up appearance was exactly what the director was looking for,
and he landed a role in the movie Mad
Max.